(19)

(11)

EP 1 005 632 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 06.05.1999 (43) Date of publication: 07.06.2000 Bulletin 2000/23 (21) Application number: 98940805.9 (22) Date of filing: 18.08.1998

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G01N 1/00 (86) International application number: PCT/US9816/456 (87) International publication number: WO 9909/388 (25.02.1999 Gazette 1999/08)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 18.08.1997 US 55982 P 18.12.1997 US 69422 26.06.1998 US 104997 (71) Applicant: Metasensors, Inc. Rockville, MD 20850 (US)	(72) Inventor: DRZEWIECKI, Tadeusz, M. Rockville, MD 20853 (US) (74) Representative: Hucker, Charlotte Jane  Gill Jennings & EveryBroadgate House,7 Eldon Street London EC2M 7LH London EC2M 7LH (GB)